Ganvie is a lake village in Benin, lying in Lake Nokoue, near Cotonou. With a population of around 20,000 people, it is probably the largest lake village in Africa and as such is very popular with tourists. The village was established in the sixteenth or seventeenth centuries by the Tofinu people, established on the lake because the Dahomey's (a slave trading tribe) religion forbade the Fon warriors from entering water, therefore the lagoon was a safe territory for other tribes. Originally based on farming, the village's main industries other than tourism are now fishing and fish farming. The village was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List on October 31, 1996 in the Cultural category.
Two stamps used, one commemorating 50 years of independence of Benin. 2nd one is definitive and the smallest stamp I've ever seen. Thanks so much Eric for my first postcard sent written and stamped from Benin.
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